Did you hear about the World Cup that was played in the USA? Hey, don’t switch off! I promise you that you won’t hear anything about the quality of the referees, the value of VAR or the offside rule. What you will hear, if you listen carefully, is about a positive, playful tribe and a Scottish fan whose curiosity and willingness to interact gives him endless intercultural insights.
Welcome to Absolutely Intercultural, show number 322. My name’s Anne Fox and this show is coming to you from Denmark. If you’re listening, then you already found us on absolutely-intercultural.com, Spotify or Apple podcasts.
In this show we are going to hear from John Brodie in Inverness, Scotland, who is the closest thing you could come to a professional Scottish football fan which has taken him to all sorts of different places outside of the UK. Scottish football fans are very different. So different, that their stay in Boston made the news globally. Here’s how John summed it up:
Going to the USA, raised the issue of how to tackle sensitive topics. Here’s John’s strategy.
absolutely tartan
This was the first time since 1998 that Scotland had qualified to play in the World Cup which was why John and his fellow Scottish supporters were so determined to see their team play in the USA. So let’s start by going absolutely tartan to find out more about the Tartan Army as the Scottish fans are known.
absolutely dry
Now let’s hear from our man on the inside about what it felt like to be a Scottish football fan in Boston. Was it all as good-natured as the press made out?
absolutely curious
We’ve been hearing about what it feels like to be part of a tribe and how that can lead to positive vibes in places far from its home patch but what happens when the game is over? In our final segment, absolutely curious, we’ll hear how John’s willingness to engage with the people around him lead to more understanding on an individual level.
So this tells us that intercultural encounters don’t always require formal programmes or structured exchanges. Sometimes all it takes is a shared passion, a playful attitude, and the courage to talk to strangers — and suddenly a football tournament becomes a masterclass in curiosity, connection, and cultural learning.
So did the World Cup catch you up in its atmosphere? Did you make new friends at the public screenings? Or are you just glad that it’s all over? We would love to hear your stories. Leave a comment here on the website, send us an email, or reach out if you would like to be a guest.
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Our next show will be coming to you on October 2nd.
Until then, stay tuned!
Editor: Anne Fox (French/British)
